


Too Dark To See

by Synnerxx



Series: Snapshots [3]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Angst, Case Fic, Child Death, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-11
Updated: 2012-12-11
Packaged: 2018-11-01 10:40:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10920165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Synnerxx/pseuds/Synnerxx
Summary: It's a hard case for John.





	Too Dark To See

Fin notices it, has always noticed since they first became partners. The death of children affects John more than anything else they see in their line of work. Not that he's indifferent to the rest of it, but there's something about children that gets to John more. 

Not for for the first time, Fin wonders why John never had any kids of his own. He's clearly good with them, more than capable of taking care of them, but Fin supposes that four ex-wives ruined that possibility for the other man. 

They head down to the ME's office for the report on the body and, as she's talking to them and showing them the various wounds on the body, Fin keeps a careful eye on John as he watches the man skim his eyes over the body and then away, nodding curtly as the ME keeps talking. John never gives the body of the ten year old girl more than a passing glance and his lips are pressed together in a thin line. The light flashes off of his glasses, making it hard to see his eyes. 

They walk out of the building into the icy wind of New York City and Fin stops John with a hand on his arm. "You okay?"

"Fine." John's unusually short answer gives Fin pause.

"You don't look like you're fine." Fin counters.

"Well, I am, so let's go. We need to talk to the parents again." John turns away from him and heads to the car. Fin sighs and follows him, getting into the driver's seat.

They interview the parents again, catch a lead on the babysitter, and chase it down. It doesn't help much, but it makes Fin feel like he's doing something important and useful and that's all he wants to do on this case, on any case.

John is looking over the case file at his desk and Fin sets a cup of coffee beside his hand without a word. John doesn't look up from the papers. Fin notices that he's turned all of the crime scene photos face down in a pile, unable to look at them for long. 

"We'll catch whoever did this." Fin says. 

John nods, but doesn't say anything.

Later on, Elliot and Olivia catch a break and it's the neighbor that did it. John snaps the cuffs on his wrists, hissing the Miranda into his ear as he shoves him along. 

After they've gotten the confession, John steps out of the interrogation room and leans against his desk, looking far older than he is. Cases like this always take it out of him, even when they do catch the sick bastards.

Fin catches up to him later as they're leaving for home and just wraps his arms around him, a tight embrace that probably confuses John, but he doesn't care. 

John stiffens under his touch, but then relaxes and hugs him back, content to let Fin comfort him for a moment the day they've all had.


End file.
